Villa-Lobos Choros No. 11 from Ondine
Harold Lewis
Gothoni (piano) and the Finnish RSO conducted by Sakari Oramo) means that
every one of the marvellous, life-enhancing orchestral Chôros is now
available on CD - though you may have to search hard for Chôros No. 6
(it's on Auvidis AV 6113, played by the World Philharmonic Orchestra under
Maazel and coupled with the Firebird Suite and Carnaval Romain overture in
a 1986 recording made at a concert in Rio de Janeiro). The Museu
Villa-Lobos web site (http://www.alternex.com.br/~mvillalobos) maintains a
fairly up-to-date discography which lists details of the Chôros
recordings.
The new Chôros No. 11 disc is reviewed enthusiastically by Lionel Salter
in the December issue of Gramophone. I bought the CD today at Harold
Moores' shop in London and played it as soon as I got home. Performance
and recording are exemplary: those who know this wonderful work from the
old V-L mono recording made in Paris in the 50s will need no further
encouragement to lay their hands on it. Happily, it's the complete score
and not the 46-minute revision made by V-L. As on so many V-L CDs these
days, the booklet is decorated with Amazonian members of the order
Psittaciformes.
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Eric Schissel
of "Choros" is one of his most visionary.
-Eric Schissel
--
schi...@lightlink.com
http://www.lightlink.com/schissel ICQ#7279016
standard disclaimer
Harold Lewis
(Eric Schissel) wrote:
>This news makes me very pleased, as it's my impression that V-L's series
>of "Choros" is one of his most visionary.
>
I'm glad you think so too. The orchestral Choros are the most impressive
works VL wrote, communicating instantly a sense of exhilaration and
radiant energy, like a force of nature. They sound just as fresh and
innovative now as they did when they were written, 70 years ago! There
are moments - particularly in both Choros 11 and Choros 12 - where the
orchestral texture changes with an almost visual impact, opening up
immense landscapes and perspectives. It's no wonder he was so admired by
Varese and Messiaen. I live in hope that the two 'lost' Choros - nos. 13
and 14 - will turn up one day. All we seem to have left (in the VL
Museum) are 'synopses' of the works in VL's handwriting, with some themes
and short passages sketched out.
Luca Sabbatini
Harold Lewis wrote...
>The arrival of Ondine's recording of Chôros No. 11 (ODE 916-2: Ralf
>Gothoni (piano) and the Finnish RSO conducted by Sakari Oramo) means that
>every one of the marvellous, life-enhancing orchestral Chôros is now
>available on CD - though you may have to search hard for Chôros No. 6
>(it's on Auvidis AV 6113, played by the World Philharmonic Orchestra under
>Maazel and coupled with the Firebird Suite and Carnaval Romain overture in
>a 1986 recording made at a concert in Rio de Janeiro).
There is also a recording of Chôros # 6 with VL himself conducting the
Berlin RSO in January 1954, coupled with Bachianas Brasileiras # 7 (Varèse
Sarabande VCD 47257, originally on Remington and Vox/Turnabout LPs, CD publ.
1986). You may have to search even harder for this one...
>The new Chôros No. 11 disc [...] Performance
>and recording are exemplary: those who know this wonderful work from the
>old V-L mono recording made in Paris in the 50s will need no further
>encouragement to lay their hands on it...
Warmly seconded. The Finnish musicians play this music with great sense of
rhythm and color. Let's hope they'll record the other orchestral Chôros
soon.
LS